Description
This super easy, delicious, healthy recipe for Vegetable Couscous Salad with Za’atar is vibrant with the sunny flavors of the Mediterranean and Middle East. You can make this vegan salad gluten-free by using gluten-free couscous.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad:
- 2 cups water
- 1 ½ cups Israeli or pearled couscous, dried
- ¼ cup pinenuts
- 1 large tomato, sliced into thin wedges
- 1 medium bell pepper (green, red, yellow, or orange), coarsely chopped
- ¼ medium white or red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup kalamata olives, whole, rinsed and drained
- 1/3 cup sliced dried prunes
Lemon Za’atar Vinaigrette:
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon za’atar (see below)
- ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare couscous (according to package directions, or the following instructions). Pour water into a small pot, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the couscous, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Place in colander and rinse with cool water. Set aside to cool slightly while preparing remaining ingredients for salad.
- Preheat oven to broil setting. Place pinenuts in a small baking dish in top shelf of oven. Broil for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown. Be careful not to burn. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add sliced tomato, chopped bell pepper, sliced onion, chopped mint, chickpeas, olives, and prunes. Add cooked, cooled couscous and toasted pinenuts. Gently mix ingredients to combine.
- Make lemon za’atar vinaigrette by whisking together lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, za’atar, salt (optional), and black pepper in a small dish.
- Drizzle vinaigrette over salad, and gently mix ingredients to combine. Serve immediately, or chill until serving time.
- Makes 6 servings (about 1 ¼ cups each).
Notes
Couscous naturally contains gluten, but you can make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free Israeli couscous.
You can find za’atar in many well-stocked supermarkets or online. Or make it yourself with my za’atar spice blend recipe here.
This healthy couscous salad recipe also holds up well in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Prep Time: 12
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 219
- Sodium: 472 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 7 g